The Hunter Chronicles
by Rokhi
Summary: Post-Chapter 46. It's been five years. The purebloods are all but extinct, and the hunters are coming, if they can figure out the map. Complete.
1. Death Comes Quietly

I'm finally back with another jump into the VK fandom! This is set roughly five years after the events of Chapter 46, so the story may contain **SPOILERS**. You have been happily warned.

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight because if I did, Kaname would have died long, long ago...Hino-sensei still has him breathing.

* * *

Vampire Knight – The Hunter Chronicles

Chapter 1: Death Comes Quietly

Kurosu Kaien, the headmaster of Kurosu Academy, sat behind his desk. After a few minutes of attempted small talk with the purebloods Kuran Kaname and Kuran Yuuki, he finally settled down to the serious matter at hand. With a heavy heart, he told them the grievous news: After five years of systematic murder, the last remaining non-Kuran pureblood was eliminated mere days ago along with countless aristocrat bodyguards.

Yuuki stood by the window listening, her face drawn with lines of sadness and remorse.

"He's coming," Kaname stated.

"I know," she acknowledged, her gaze never leaving the slowly brightening horizon.

"No, _they're_ coming," Kurosu corrected.

Caught off guard, Yuuki jerked her head away from the window. "What?" she exclaimed.

Knowing how hard these few words would be on his adopted daughter, Kurosu said quietly, "He's not alone."

* * *

Zero sat on his horribly stiff seat in the train car, staring out the window. For having cushions, it sure felt like a wooden plank against his back. That would teach him to ride economy. Why was he being such a penny pincher, anyway? This was the last job. If he succeeded, he could finally end his disgusting existence as a vampire. So why, in the name of all that's good, did he not splurge for a comfy first class seat on the way to his own execution ground?!

A tall, black haired girl walked up the aisle and plopped down in the seat across from him, holding out a candy bar while taking a bite of her own.

_Ah, that was why_, Zero muttered to himself. _This is why I am never letting her touch my wallet again. She's cheaper than a "made in China" McDonald's Happy Meal toy._

"Well, that last one was messier than usual. They've really stepped up security since the first kill. It was almost a challenge." Rin scoffed.

Like Zero, Rin was also a vampire, but unlike him, she had never been anything close to human. Born to a pureblood and a high-ranking aristocrat, her life was always full of blood and the politics of vampire society. She was a strong, capable hunter who had struggled and fought against the oppressive chains of the Senate's influence since her parents' deaths, but going up against purebloods was never to be taken lightly.

"Don't get overconfident." Zero admonished.

Taking another giant chomp on the chocolate, she retorted, "Don't lecture me. Respect your elders." Despite resembling Zero's age in appearance, Rin outranked the boy by a few decades.

"And you remember that the Kuran are not to be underestimated, especially Kuran Kaname," Zero shot back.

"I know what he is capable of, probably more so than you." Rin met Kaname on more than one occasion during her early years of bondage to the Senate and its social functions. He was a creepy little boy even then.

Zero seethed at her unyielding argumentative nature, hissing out a deep breath. "Just keep your head."

"Just worry about yourself," Rin ordered. _You haven't told me much, but I've heard the stories, and I know you better than you think, Zero. Despite all your hatred for the purebloods, I know that facing _her_ will test every fiber of your resolve_

"Shut up and get some sleep." Zero shifted in his still lumpy seat. He tried, unsuccessfully, to find a decent position for a few seconds, but he soon realized the futility of his actions and stilled his body. He could move later when he wasn't being watched like a hawk.

Rin had to smile at Zero's obvious discomfort. He was too proud to move a muscle until she was asleep, or at least pretending. "You rest up, too, Onii-san."

* * *

The downstairs parlor of the Night Dorm was packed to capacity. Yuuki sat off to the side, yet again. She was in no mood to be sociable. Kaname stood before the Night Class, his face stern and serious. The initially miniscule amount of chatter died a quick death. Silence reigned.

"You've all heard the news. In the past five years, the vampire purebloods have been targeted and murdered. Yuuki and I are the only ones left," Kaname announced.

"How long do we have, Kaname?" Ichijou asked. He, like the rest of the Night Class, had instantly grasped the barely hidden message in Kaname's message: the killers were coming.

Aidou leapt to his feet and shouted, "It doesn't matter! We'll protect Kaname-sama and Yuuki-sama! Those hunters won't know what hit them!"

"No! That's enough," Yuuki interrupted. "All of you are to leave Kurosu Academy immediately." Her narrowed eyes blazed with a furious intensity rarely seen in the pureblood girl, and she was tensed, ready for a fight.

The room turned as one to stare at Yuuki after her little outburst. No one spoke, and silence filled the air again, until Aidou sneezed.

"But Yuuki-chan, we can't just leave you two alone," Ichijou protested.

Kaname was tiring of his underlings' refusal to follow orders, if the throbbing vein in his forehead was any indication. "Our sources tell us that there are two perpetrators, and they take no prisoners. We have decided that it is too dangerous for the Night Class to remain on school grounds, so you will all return home until this situation is resolved."

In the calm before the storm, Kaname enjoyed a full three seconds of quiet acceptance to his declaration.

Then Aidou asked, none too quietly, "It's Kiryuu, isn't it?"

Neither Kaname nor Yuuki answered aloud, but the way Yuuki turned away and the sudden grim set of Kaname's jaw said it all.

"I want everyone out within the hour," Yuuki stated, her tone brooking no room for argument. She walked out and headed up to her room.

Kaname watched her go with growing unease. Since Zero left, Yuuki had become withdrawn from everyone, including him, and she spent most of her time either alone in her room or with the headmaster.

"You heard Yuuki-sama! Everyone out!" Aidou barked, his small stature not preventing him from being as obnoxiously loud as possible. He then turned around and whispered to Kaname, "But we're staying."

As the rest of the room slowly emptied, Kaname whispered back, "You'd disobey a direct order from a pureblood, Aidou?"

"Not just him, Kaname," Ichijou piped in.

"Packing is too much trouble," Shiki yawned.

Kain joined the little circle forming around the pureblood. "I'm too tired to travel."

"I will stay as well," Seiren added.

Kaname tried to make them see reason- his reason, but that was the only one that mattered. "The choice is not yours," he hardheartedly informed the stubborn aristocrats.

Aidou all but shrieked in outrage. "We can help, Kaname-sama!"

"Kiryuu and his partner have killed everyone trying to protect the purebloods," Kaname pointed out.

Ichijou stood firm. "We can handle them."

* * *

Zero finally fell asleep. It took him long enough to relax, and he obstinately refused to close the window shade until the ten o'clock sun shining straight in his eyes became unbearable. He kept whining about limited visibility in case of a sneak attack or some paranoid stupidity along those lines.

The train ride still had some hours to go before they reached their final destination. Soon, for better or worse, it would all be over.

Rin reached over and took his Bloody Rose gun. His eyes shot open, and he tried to grab it, but she held it just out of reach. After a second, he relaxed, closed his eyes, and went back to sleep.

Rin turned the cold, hard metal over in her hands. The weapon had a mind of its own, and it was as evil as any vampire.

She didn't know if she would make it out of this one, but she did not intend to die without making sure that Zero was free.

He gave her a reason to live. If they succeeded, the end of this mission would mark the end for both of them. They were both vampires, loathing their own existences, but Zero wasn't ready to die. She could see it. If only he wasn't doing such a superb job of ignoring how his last obstacle to death was also his strongest tie to life.

Rin knew what they were going up against. She met Kuran Kaname years ago before all of these messes started. She knew him for the manipulative, murderous, ancient being he was even then, and recent news of his activities did not paint a pretty picture. They were too much alike. That was the problem.

But they did differ in one very important respect. She knew for a fact that no matter what he said, Zero would not kill Yuuki.

Kuran purposely blinded himself to that. Kuran pretended that Zero was capable of killing his best friend, his other half. It gave Kuran a plausible excuse for hating the hunter and wanting him dead, and it distracted Yuuki from the real reason for his hatred. Kuran was jealous because he knew, better than Yuuki herself, that she and Zero were connected by a bond stronger than any he could ever hope to have.

Zero didn't talk about his days at Kurosu Academy much. He'd make a vague reference to some vampire power or technique he picked up, or a weakness he noticed, but he refused to talk about the good, "human" experiences. The unspoken words in everything he didn't say told Rin more than words could have.

Zero would kill himself before he killed Yuuki. That's what Rin was afraid of.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Well, welcome to the new VK story. Hope you enjoyed Chapter 1. My goal is to get out the chapters for this story in quick succession before I head back to school, but "the best laid plans of mice and men" and all that...so here's hoping.

If the mood so strikes you, let me know what you think, and Merry Christmas to all, and to all...a not-getting-sick-on-too-much-Christmas-dinner! (I wonder how many people hated me just for the disclaimer...Who knows? Maybe I'll let him live in this story.)


	2. Death Sleeps

The hunt continues...

Disclaimer: Hino-sensei owns Vampire Knight. All I own is this wet sweatshirt, which someone abandoned at a tennis court, that the rain soaked. The fans would never allow someone this pathetic to own their beloved VK.

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Chapter 2: Death Sleeps

Yuuki reclined against the plush cushions on her bed, staring off into space. The late morning sun peeked through the drawn curtains into the dark room. A heavy gloom had settled around the pureblood girl since her return from the headmaster's office that morning, and after retiring upstairs, her feelings of despair and dejection had permeated the immediate area.

Into the midst of this happy environment walked Seiren after one light knock on the thick wooden door. Even though it was midday, no one in the Night Dorm was anywhere near slumber. Most of the Night Class was evacuated and every sound reverberated through the halls with eerie intensity.

"Kaname-sama requests that you relocate to a more secure bedchamber, Yuuki-sama," Seiren informed her.

The pale girl slowly turned her head to stare at Seiren. Were they seriously going to rob her of her solace? Her private brooding and preparation for the fight to come?

Yuuki replied with a stern suggestion. "You shouldn't be here."

"Kaname-sama sent me."

"Not my room- here at the academy," Yuuki clarified.

Seiren stared back, her eyes as unyieldingly blank as her face. "We are sworn to protect the purebloods. It is our duty." She stated it so simply like commonly accepted knowledge.

"You are also _supposed_ to follow our orders," Yuuki drawled. She had been up for the past night and half a day. Sleep beckoned, but her tortured mind could not go. These constant interruptions to her fragile peace were becoming tiresome.

Whether oblivious to her superior's displeasure or purposely choosing to ignore it, Seiren strode back towards the door with no sign of remorse in her demeanor. She tilted her head to the pureblood upon twisting the knob, unwilling to leave until she was satisfied that her message had been sufficiently conveyed. "You should hurry. Kaname-sama will worry."

Yuuki sat up, pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. Most of the Night Class listened, obeyed and left, but the small group still at the academy refused. It was going to get them killed. If Onii-sama exerted his influence, they would leave, but he allowed them to stay. What was he thinking?

Without warning, Ichijou burst in. "Yuuki-chan!"

"Yes?" Yuuki jumped, startled.

"You better hurry downstairs. Kaname is starting to twitch," Ichijou told her with a smile.

Yuuki reluctantly left the comfort of her bed and took a small bag out of the closet. "I'll be right down."

"Thank you!" Ichijou chirped. "And Yuuki-chan?"

"Yes?" Yuuki paused, one garment laden hand frozen in mid-air.

"Please don't ask us to leave again." Ichijou glanced to the side for a moment before working up the nerve to look her steadily in the eyes. "We're not just your bodyguards: we're your family. That's why we'll protect you and Kaname."

Yuuki stood frozen in shock, not knowing how to respond.

Ichijou's face lost its stern expression and he resumed his usual carefree attitude. "Just thought you should know. It's not like Seiren-chan was going to say it."

Her expression softened. "Thank you, Ichijou-kun. Just promise me you'll be careful, all of you."

"With the exception of Aidou-kun, when are we not?" Ichijou, smiling, left Yuuki to her packing and headed downstairs where the others sat in the parlor with the curtains drawn.

It was quite the conundrum. Ichijou was right. Yuuki had lived with the Night Class for five years, and the few who would not leave as the hunters closed in were as much her family now as Headmaster Kurosu and…Zero.

That was the problem, wasn't it? Despite everything, Yuuki still cared for Zero. She could not bear to see harm come to him. If he killed any of her new family, she would be grief-stricken, but if Zero died, she would—what?

If Zero was no longer in this world, it would be like losing half of her soul.

What about Onii-sama? Certainly, Kuran Kaname was the epitome of vampiric beauty and power, and Yuuki would hardly be a female if she didn't feel some measure of attraction or attachment to him, but at the end of the day, he was still just Onii-sama- her brother.

Yuuki realized that she was packing at a painfully slow rate that was sure to arouse suspicion and, more likely than not, bring upon her the temperamental wrath of Aidou-kun, but she sat back down on her bed, bag cast aside, and tried to imagine how she would feel if Onii-sama died. Would she be sad? Devastated! Would she cry? Enough tears to flood the ocean! But would she be able to move on with her life? Yes.

What _would_ she do if Zero died?

* * *

Rin stood stationary on the train platform, bag slung over shoulder, a frown tugging at her lips. "Onii-san, what's the rush?"

"It's a long ride to Kurosu Academy. If we leave now, we can make it by nightfall," Zero stated in his no-nonsense tone.

Rin sighed in exasperation. "Do you seriously expect to drive all day and then fight two purebloods and who knows how many lackeys?" Her partner's obstinacy was a constant chore to deal with.

"Yes," Zero answered simply. He walked over to the rent-a-car station without a care for whether or not he was followed.

Rin headed over to a nearby bench and plopped down, relaxed and ready for an afternoon of waiting. _I wonder how long it'll take him to realize that I stole his wallet again._

_

* * *

  
_

"Who is with Kiryuu, Headmaster?" Kaname demanded. The question had been eating away at him since the sun rose, especially with so many of his subordinates turning suicidal and happily awaiting the arrival of trained murderers.

Kurosu tilted his head and borderline whined, "How should I know? All the witnesses are dead."

"Then how do we know it's Kiryuu and an accomplice?" Kaname pressed.

"WHY IS MY NEPHEW BEING SO MEAN TO ME?!" Kurosu screamed.

The following awkward silence was marred only by the swishing of the headmaster's arms through the air as he tried in vain to attack Kaname with a bear hug of doom while the pureblood held him off with one hand in the face.

Kaname closed his eyes and smirked. "Perhaps I should mention to Yuuki that her 'father' is an immortal-sorcerer-turned-vampire-hunter-turned-school-headmaster who's been lying to her about his origins all these years…"

The headmaster immediately stopped his struggling and turned away, wallowing in misery. "Kaname's so cruel," he whimpered. Straightening up and removing his glasses, Kurosu remarked lightly, "You may have met her. She goes by Yoru Rin."

* * *

"OUT! EVERYBODY OUT, RIGHT NOW!!!" Kaname's angry shouts rang throughout the entire building, startling everyone out of their day-induced half slumbers.

Letting his friends go up against Kiryuu was questionable, but at least they knew what to expect from the ruthless hunter. Letting them go up against Kiryuu and an almost-pureblood known for her killing expertise would make Kaname an accessory to murder.

Aidou began to protest. "Kaname-sama, we already told you: we aren't leav-"

Thoroughly sick of hearing this particular voice raised in opposition to his wishes, Kaname gritted his teeth and struggled to remain calm. "The situation is more serious than I thought. Kiryuu has a Yoru with him."

Not even a mouse dared to skitter within the walls for fear of disturbing the perfect, absolute silence that fell on the Night Dorm following this happy little detail. The vampires' faces mirrored each other with identical expressions of shock and horror. Despite having numbers on their side, the odds for survival had not been in their favor when they expected Kiryuu- and maybe a "helper"- but now they were officially slim to none, closer to none than slim.

_We're gonna die_. Shiki thought. He regained mastery of his expression and turned a bored stare on Rima, where his thoughts were reflected in her eyes.

"We will stay, Kaname-sama," Ruka reaffirmed. Was anyone else getting tired of constantly repeating this?

Kaname's entire outlook on the situation had changed the moment he heard the name "Yoru." He would no longer suffer defiance. "This is not up for debate. You are all leaving immediately."

"No," a voice from above echoed through the entryway, commanding and regal as a pureblood's. It was, in fact, a pureblood. Yuuki slowly descended from the upper floor, one hand trailing along the banister, her long hair shielding half of her face.

Kaname looked up and tried to reason with her. "Yuuki, you don't understand. If they stay, it will mean certain death for all of them."

She was unyielding. "I am sorry, Onii-sama, but if they still wish to stay and fight, I will not turn them away." Ichijou's talk of family echoed in her head. She would not force them to bear the dishonor and betrayal of being tossed out in a time of need.

Kaname ground his sharp canines against his lower teeth and scowled at the ridiculously happy looking Ichijou and Aidou, but he allowed Yuuki's to decision stand. He was obviously alone in his sentiments of survival, and he could not very well argue with his princess without facing serious repercussions in the future –repercussions he was sure to loathe beyond all reason- and Yuuki had a long life in which to torment him. This was a small price to pay for avoiding such dreadfulness.

Yuuki reached the ground floor and was relieved to see a look of grudging acceptance from her brother. Here, however, she added, "However, none of you are to kill Zero." This was her burden. "Leave him to me."

* * *

"If you're going to force me to rest, could you at least spring for something one level above this flea-bitten hole in the wall?" Zero asked in a bored, resigned tone. _Cheapskate._

"Shut up. The sooner you go to sleep, the sooner we can leave." Rin ordered, not at all moved to sympathy by his pathetic whining.

"Fine." Zero laid down on one of the moldy, questionably sanitary twin beds and rolled his face away from the wretched vampire who had, once again, stolen his wallet and coerced him into temporarily postponing his long sought after revenge and justice.

Rin couldn't help but smile at the petulant child stuck in a teenager's body. Then again, what were teenagers really but just that?

What a pair they made, the two of them: a vampire hunter turned vampire, willing to kill himself once the last of the purebloods was slain, and a vampire aristocrat of the highest order, despising herself for the tool she was born to be. Yet, somehow, they were family. Zero would never acknowledge as much out loud, but Rin knew that he felt the same way. Now, if only he could get past his conditioned hatred of purebloods and accept that missing piece of himself as family, too.

Exhausted from all the effort required in compelling Zero to take a break, Rin trudged over to the window and drew the curtains. The afternoon sunlight was beginning to burn. She spared her disgusting disgrace of a bed a scathing glare before plopping down and shoving the nearest pillow under her head.

"Sleep tight, Onii-san," Rin murmured to the darkness.

* * *

Author's Note:

Hope you enjoyed, a late Happy New Year to all, and feel free to leave a review and let me know what you think!


	3. Death Wanders Astray

Disclaimer: Hino-sensei owns Vampire Knight, not me. I would have temporarily abandoned the present storyline in favor of taking a long trip into the vampire hunting past of Kurosu Kaien!

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Chapter 3: Death Wanders Astray

.

"Alright, I've had a good half a day of sleep. Now give me back my wallet!"

An irritated Zero paced along the narrow strip of mold infested carpet, now unhappier than ever that he had been dragged to this awful motel. No amount of aristocrat vampire back up power was worth the trouble he went through with this girl. How could someone so old in human years still act so juvenile? Then again, Aidou and Ichijou managed to pull it off.

"Don't be ridiculous, Onii-san." Rin glared up at him from her seat on a neatly made bed. "You tossed and turned all day without a wink of sleep."

Zero's eyes narrowed. "Whether I slept or not is immaterial."

The girl's face darkened, her eyes taking on a blood red sheen. It did not happen often, but every now and then, when her patience was wearing thin, Rin became every inch the fearsome vampire she was. Her voice dipped into a slow, low melody. "Perhaps, but do you seriously want to arrive at the school in the middle of the night when they're all wide awake?"

"Yes," Zero instantly replied. He'd been ready to go since they first arrived at the train station.

Her unwavering stare never leaving the boy's face, Rin continued smoothly, forebodingly, "I realize that I'm not at full strength in the sunlight, so a day kill is out of the question, but barging in the way you're suggesting is stupid."

Her few hours of sleep were not any more restful than Zero's, thanks to a certain grimy bed that kept making _noises_. Rin could not fathom how anyone slept on these things while every second brimmed with the promise of mice, cockroaches, spiders, and worse venturing out to crawl across any available skin. She was too tired to put up with much more of this.

Reigning in the urge to reach for his Bloody Rose gun as a means of "persuasion," Zero said, "I'm not suggesting; I'm telling. Now give me my wallet!"

The air crackled with tension as the two faced off. That, and the old fire hazard of a lamp in the corner was emitting large sparks.

Correction, Rin was too tired to put up with _any_ more of this.

"Fine," she acquiesced.

Zero caught the projectile wallet aimed straight for his nose and stormed out of the motel room with much hushed grumbling.

Her shoulders sagged, and she let out a giant sigh. That conversation required too much effort. Clumsily lugging her sleep deprived body off the bed, Rin dragged her feet over to the mirror and did a quick once over. When did the lines on her face become so pronounced? Her eyes looked so tired, ready to close forever, but she was determined to see this through.

Tonight, the Kuran _would_ die, and she _would_ save Zero. This was Rin's promise to herself. After all the deaths she caused, life would be her legacy.

Zero unexpectedly flung the door open. "The car is ready," he stated.

_Perhaps there's hope for him, yet._ Rin mused, a sly smile tugging at the corners of her mouth while her feet worked on autopilot, following the boy outside. _He hasn't noticed that I still have his gun._

_

* * *

  
_"KANAME! YUUKI!" Kurosu burst through the Night Dorm doors, shouting with abandon the entire time, his arms flailing through the air like an awkward duck attempting to fly.

He dashed past Ichijou and the others to a room down the main hall and slammed open the door. Once inside, the door slammed back behind him revealing a furious Aidou with a very red nose.

"So sorry, Aidou-kun." Kurosu apologized with an unapologetic smile. Turning around to face the two purebloods, he paid no attention to the short vampire surrounded by angry flames. "Kaname, we have a problem."

The vampire let out his breath in a carefully controlled hiss. "The Night Class has mostly evacuated, and Yuuki is with me. We can't be any more prepared." _What else could possibly go wrong?_

"What is it, Headmaster?" Yuuki asked gently.

"They're coming," Kurosu said.

Aidou's momentarily quelled angry flames returned in full force. His voice reached pitches audible only to members of the canine family as he screeched, "We already know they're coming! Why do you think we've taken all these precautions, you senile old man?!"

Adorning his serious, hunter behavior like a well worn coat, Kurosu spared Aidou a slight glare out of the corner of his eye and had the satisfaction of watching the proud vampire stumble backwards.

Returning his attention to the important people in the room, he clarified, "No, I mean, they're _coming_, as in: they just left the train station." _Thank goodness for good connections among the transportation workers of this country._ He allowed his aching lungs a single deep breath before continuing, "They'll be here by mid-night."

News of this sort was generally met by some sort of dramatic pause, and so it was here, with the exception of Aidou's highly audible gulp. He was by no means weak, and he would gladly fight any who questioned his strength, but Aidou was hoping for an extra day of sleep and a few good meals before squaring off against the latest crazy assassins out for Kaname-sama's blood. Whatever happened to common courtesy?

Kaname did not allow this shortened timetable to faze him and wasted no time in tossing out more orders. "Aidou, tell the others to get some sleep. We've been up all day, and I don't want anyone facing the hunters without some rest."

"Right away, Kaname-sama." For once, a cooperative Aidou left without comment or complaint.

After the door closed behind the icy aristocrat, Yuuki padded over from her chair to give Kurosu a reassuring hug. "We'll be fine, and Zero, too. Don't worry, Father."

Kurosu stepped back and looked into his precious daughter's eyes with all the severity he could muster. He didn't want to see anyone hurt, but he knew which one of his two children was more likely to listen to reason at this point. "Zero is not the same boy you knew. Be prepared for the worst."

* * *

A lone pair of headlights cut through the oppressive darkness of the misty road, and a single engine marred the silence.

Rin squinted at the giant atlas spread across her lap. "I think you wanted that last right."

"No, I want the next right." Zero had been hard pressed to win the driver's seat. Now, his navigation skills were being questioned! Couldn't a guy get some respect?

Rin didn't look convinced. "Have you even looked at the map?"

"I don't need a map," Zero snapped. Was a quiet ride of silent contemplation and meditation before jumping into perilous danger so much to ask for? "I lived here, remember?"

"Yes," she acknowledged, "but you also left in too much of a hurry to pay a lot of attention to road signs, and it's been five years."

* * *

The moonlight cast an eerie glow in the dark room. Yuuki's eyes shown blood red. Kaname placed a wineglass of water and two blood tablets on the small table beside her chair. She looked awfully pale, even for a vampire.

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Yuuki?" Kaname probed, concern etched upon his features.

"I'm fine, Onii-sama," Yuuki said evenly.

Kaname was not convinced. He tried to dissuade her from what was sure to be an ugly and painful affair. "You don't _have_ to do this. There's still time for you to leave. Let me take care of the hunters."

Clarity and focus returned to her eyes, and Yuuki turned a determined gaze on her brother. "These aren't just any hunters, Onii-sama. This is Zero. For better or worse, I have to do this."

"Very well, " Kaname conceded. "Just remember that you are not alone. I'll be right there beside you."

Her eyes softened. "I know, Onii-sama," Yuuki assured him.

Kaname pursed his lips, then opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but he changed his mind and left the quiet girl to her solitude.

Upon hearing the light click of the doorknob sliding into place, Yuuki dumped the tablets in the glass and downed it all in one go. _Please, Zero, don't make me kill you.  
_

_

* * *

_  
"We're lost," Rin stated.

Zero hunched his shoulders down and trained his eyes solely on the road, intent on avoiding the arrogant smirk he knew his partner was wearing. He could not believe they were having this conversation again. "We are not lost."

"It's been half an hour and according to this smart little piece of paper, we are nowhere near the blasted school!" Fifteen minutes following their first exchange on the issue, Rin turned on the overhead light, ignoring Zero's loud objections, and found their exact location on the map within three seconds.

Zero firmly argued back, "I know exactly where we are."

"Will you just pull over and let me find out how to get there?" Rin barked.

Zero waited until the ringing in his ears subsided. Then, he reiterated, "I told you, we're not lost."

Exasperated didn't even begin to cover it. Hoping that it hurt the stubborn mule's ears as much as her last interjection, Rin screeched, "Why do men always refuse to ask for directions?!"

* * *

The remaining Night Class members sat or stood around the entry way of the Night Dorm, listening for any sign of intruders. All was quiet. Too quiet.

"That's odd," Aidou remarked.

Partially roused from his sleepy state, Kain prompted, "What?"

Aidou tilted an ear to the door again before facing the gathered company. "They should be here by now."

Each vampire leveled an incredulous frown at the offending boy. Was this seriously one of Kaname-sama's right hand men?

Seiren voiced the group's thoughts succinctly. "Are you complaining?"

A little taken aback by the violent reaction to his simple observation, Aidou chose his next words carefully. "No, I just didn't expect Kiryuu to waste any time trying to kill Kaname-sama after five years of waiting."

The skeptical glares transformed into thoughtful pouts. Oddly enough, Aidou had made a decent point. It wasn't like Kiryuu to waste time. However, there was a new variable in the equation this time that no one knew much about.

Ichijou pondered the probable influence of a highly skilled aristocrat vampire on the vengeful Kiryuu's plans. A moment later, he had his answer. "Maybe they stopped for slurpees," he chirped.

* * *

Author's Note:

Well, a big thank you to all my reviewers, alert-ers, favorite-ers, and shy people hiding in the shadows. I hope you enjoyed Chapter 3, and feel free to let me know what you thought!

I just went back to school this week, but if the homework load doesn't build up too quickly, you should see the next chapter in about two weeks. Thanks for reading!


	4. Death Takes the Wheel

Disclaimer: Hino-sensei still owns Vampire Knight.

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Chapter 4: Death Takes the Wheel

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_That's it. Tonight, I'm driving. _Rin was eying yet another questionably sanitary piece of furniture, and if her twitching temple and clenched fists were any indication, she was not happy about it. The wall had good reason to fear for its continued existence as one piece at that moment.

After at least a good hour of Zero insisting that they were not lost, the dynamic duo had hit the next town. Zero continued repeating his delusional assessment of the situation all the way to the local rundown motel where they settled in for another day of sleep.

This time, as soon as Zero was out for the count, Rin was taking the keys _and_ his wallet. After all the trouble she went through to insure that he had a restful day, giving him the bed while she took the couch and all that, he had better get to sleep quickly…or else. It wasn't as though Rin had a problem with knocking people unconscious.

* * *

"Headmaster, what are you doing here?" Kaname strode towards the open Night Dorm doors and the man standing there, clad in full hunter gear complete with all the sharp, dangerous trimmings. "I know you used to be a capable hunter, but this is going to be a fight between high level vampires. I cannot guarantee that anyone will survive."

Kurosu leveled a resolute frown at the pureblood. "You don't really think I'll leave my son and daughter to face this alone, do you?"

What was the point of being an almost-immortal pureblood if no one ever listened to you. Kaname heaved a giant sigh. "As much as I respect your relationship with Yuuki, neither one of us are related to you by blood, and you will be in too much danger if you stay, magical prowess notwithstanding."

His face softening into an easy smile, Kurosu replied, "Blood has nothing to do with family." His eyes regained their typical impish glint. "Besides, I was talking about Yuuki and Zero."

Kaname's eyebrow twitched so rapidly, to the untrained eye, he appeared to be having some sort of convulsive attack.

* * *

"Uggh," Zero groaned.

He raised a hand to shield his eyes from the unexpected, blinding light. Squinting against the glare, he saw Rin leaning against the wall, encased in shadow, the curtain string dangling from her fingers. Just because he didn't burn as easily in the sunlight was no reason to deliver such a rude wakeup call. And why did this good for nothing cardboard rat hole have its windows facing full west?!

"Let's go, Sleeping Beauty," Rin chuckled.

_She's like a polar mix of Kuran and Ichijou. Sometimes I swear she's too bright and perky to be a vampire, and others, she's a cold-hearted killing machine. _Zero pitied anyone stupid enough to spend eternity with her if she survived tonight, and nothing would take her down unless she gave it permission. Moments like this almost made him glad to be running towards his own death.

He growled menacingly but got out of bed and threw on his jacket nonetheless. After days of traveling, it was wrinkled beyond an iron's touch, but blood would cover the deep creases before night's end. Ready to head out, he reached into his coat pocket for the keys. _Oh no._

"Hurry up or I'll leave without you," Rin said, swinging the keys around her finger as she waltzed out the door.

_Give me a death match with a host of purebloods or an afternoon of dealing with the headmaster! At least I'd have a chance of living through those. _Zero offered up a silent prayer, begging God to get him to the school in one piece- and let him kill the last two purebloods- before taking him from this world. There was a reason Zero never let Rin drive.

* * *

Ichijou yawned. "Headmaster, you should come inside. The sun's setting."

"Just one moment, I'm almost done." Kurosu said from his semi-recumbent posture on the ground in front of the dorm steps.

Aidou poked his head through the open doorway and sniffed the air once before stepping out and taking a seat on the marble stairway. "What are you doing? You've been crawling in the dirt all day."

"I thought it was obvious. Now just a second," Kurosu muttered.

Aidou stared incredulously at the pink and white cylinders in the hunter's hands. "Headmaster, what are you doing with that chal-?!"

"And done!" Kurosu shouted.

Ichijou stared at the odd markings on the earth but couldn't make out much in the dark, even with his heightened vampire sight. "What is it?"

The rest of the Night Class, somewhat more awake than before, trickled out onto the top landing and peered down at the headmaster's handiwork.

"I finally got the lines on my squares straight enough!" Kurosu yelled in triumph. "When Zero and Yoru-san get here, we can ask them to play hopscotch!"

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Author's Note:

I apologize profusely. This is the shortest chapter I have ever posted, and I can't say sorry enough times to appease myself, much less you wonderful readers. The bad news is: homework is currently swamping me and shows no sign of letting up.

The good/bad news: there is only one more chapter to go! As of now, it should be out in the usual two weeks, but I guess I'll post on my profile if anything changes, so feel free to check in there/yell at me for forgetting.

I really should do some fanart for this story...humor like this needs visual aids. Ah well, it's on my to-do list, right after homework, eating, making fanart for Lanse's story "Ikigai," and picking people up from the airport.

Thanks again to everyone who has continued reading this, especially the lovely people who leave me wonderful reviews, and I'll see you guys in a couple of weeks!


	5. Will You Just Die Already!

Disclaimer: I own a rectangular box of Chex Muddy Buddies! Do you think they'll trade me the rights to Vampire Knight for that?

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Chapter 5: Will You Just Die Already?!

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The car sat idling by the road in front of Kurosu Academy. The element of surprise was an unnecessary waste of time. The two hunters were either strong enough to kill the two purebloods, or they weren't. The middle ground in which "surprise" and "miracles" made a difference was next to nonexistent.

Rin turned the shabby automobile off and tugged her key out of the ignition. She dropped it in the center cup holder, atop a few spare coins and candy wrappers. Whether they succeeded or failed, the plan did not include leaving the school alive. Let the police and insurance companies deal with the stupid hunk of barely running metal. It was a miracle the transmission stayed intact long enough to get them to their destination.

As one, the two vampires stepped out of the car, tapped the doors closed, and marched toward the gate. Zero kicked open the heavy iron bars and took his first step back inside the place he once called home. He moved swiftly after that, not bothering to check that Rin was behind him. He could not hear her, but he knew she would follow at a more sedated pace.

The moonlight illuminated the walkway, guiding the hunters to the second gate- the entrance to the world of the Night Dorm. Its guard had long since abandoned his post, and the whole area seemed deserted. With night classes temporarily cancelled, the human girls had no reason to congregate after hours, and a heavy silence stood in their stead, cautioning the killers on their way to the execution grounds.

Finding no lock or other impediment to bar his way, Zero pushed the smaller gate to the side and entered the vampires' lair. The Night Dorm towered over him in all its menacing glory, towers and spinnerets glinting in the hushed glow of the moon. On its steps stood the remnants of the Night Class, including Yuuki.

Purple eyes tinged with the call of blood met determined brown orbs almost instantaneously. Neither party was willing to back down, but no one moved. They were at an impasse, each waiting for the other to begin.

This was the moment Zero had planned for, trained for, and dreamed of ever since he locked away his heart and walked away from the only people he cared about five years ago. Here, he could finally put an end to the monstrosities known as purebloods. So, why wasn't he doing it? What was wrong with him?

Frustrated by his own indecision, Zero resolved to put an end to his deliberations. He was past the point of no return. He could not stop, not now. His will and purpose renewed, Zero reached for his Bloody Rose gun. It would only take a split second, and Yuuki would be dead. He reached, and found empty space where his fingers anticipated cold, unforgiving metal.

That couldn't be right! If Zero knew one thing for certain, it was that he did not misplace his gun. It never left his side unless…

Aidou wanted to maintain the firm, intimidating front that everyone else seemed to be projecting, he really did. However, when he saw Kiryuu reach for his side, grab at vacant air, and turn a furiously burning glare on the black haired vampire behind him who had a shiny silver gun dangling from her fingers and was wearing a rather triumphant smirk, he just couldn't help himself.

"Yuuki-sama! What's wrong with Kiryuu-san? He looks like he's about to explode!" Aidou asked, the pitch of his voice dipping in and out of decidedly whiny tones.

Still torn between disbelief and amusement, Yuuki barely heard the loud vampire's query. Zero was actually going to do it. He was going to kill her. If Yoru-san wasn't holding his gun, he would have shot her then and there. The small part of her that wanted to believe that Zero would never bring himself to harm her died a quick death. On the other hand, Yuuki wanted to burst out laughing. Zero looked madder than the time she tricked him into sitting through a six course dinner with Onii-sama.

A number of different things could have happened at this point. Zero could have tried to get his gun back from the grinning Rin, although the expenditure of energy necessary for that task would have undoubtedly rendered him useless in further combat for some time. Yuuki could have tried to reason with her foes, find some common ground upon which they could build a truce. Aidou could have blurted out another random comment. Yes, any of those things could have happened at that moment, but none of them did.

A bright light sprung up from the ground around Zero, temporarily blinding everyone present. When the blazing glare dimmed down, the silver haired boy was lying on the ground, unconscious. Yuuki tried to leap off the steps to make sure Zero was alright, but Kaname held her back.

"Don't be foolish, Yuuki," he hissed in her ear, his grip unwavering despite her constant struggle. "It is probably a trap."

"Oh, you are correct on that point, Kaname," Kurosu said, stepping out from behind a large tree, a single glowing piece of chalk caught between his fingers. "This was indeed a trap, but not for my precious daughter."

Unwilling to hold back the tide of curiosity threatening to overwhelm his unstable self-control, Aidou dashed down the steps, came to a halt directly in front of the headmaster, crossed his arms, and demanded, "So you set a trap for Kiryuu?"

A low chuckle reminded the vampires that there was still another capable hunter in their midst. Rin side-stepped the fading glow of the headmaster's magic circle and Zero's incapacitated body with the practiced ease of a predator. Her eyes remained shadowed pools of night behind unruly black strands, and she now held the Bloody Rose gun with a finger poised around the trigger.

Kaname pushed Yuuki behind him, and the other vampires crowded together in front of their leader. Even Aidou turned his head to acknowledge the slightly threatening presence approaching them.

She stopped next to Aidou in front of the headmaster. The young vampire surveyed her out of the corner of his eye for a moment before inconspicuously scrambling back up the steps to the others with all the grace of an ice skating giraffe.

Rin stared into the headmaster's eyes, and the Night Class waited with bated breath. A breeze whisked through the courtyard, and Zero's body remained abandoned, unnoticed, and unimportant.

Kurosu broke eye contact first, closing his and cracking a giant smile worthy of the sun. "Rin-chan, I can't thank you enough for bringing my little boy home!"

The hunter's cold demeanor immediately melted, her muscles uncoiling from their tensed state of readiness, her gun toting hand carelessly dropping the weapon into a coat pocket. She smiled back in return. "Anytime, Kai-kun," she said, ignoring the open mouths and wide eyes of the vampires a few feet away. "And now, if you'll excuse me," she continued, pulling the gun back out, "I need to kill the Kuran boy. It's the last thing on my to-do list." Rin reformed her face into the blank expression of a hunter ready to kill and turned on Kuran.

The Night Class quickly regrouped and prepared for the fight they'd been expecting for the last few nights. Swords were unsheathed and ice formed on fingertips.

"Excuse me, Rin-chan," Kurosu interrupted.

Her expression and bearing switched right back to their previous jolly state as she gave the headmaster her full attention, leaving the Night Class frozen an awkward picture of warriors with no foe.

"Yes?"

"Would you mind postponing that for one more year?" Kurosu asked, his tone conversational as if he was discussing the latest cornbread recipe instead of murder.

Her eyes searching upward for an answer, she prompted, "For…?"

"It will bug Zero to death," Kurosu automatically responded.

Rin beamed with pleasure. "Then certainly."

The Night Class watched with something akin to horror as this bizarre conversation continued. The two hunters talked of killing and destroying life-long plans with levity and cheerfulness. And people called vampires "monsters in human form." What would they call these freaks?

"You will come visit, won't you?" Kurosu pleaded. "Zero may be a tad upset with us for our little prank, but he'll get over it."

Tapping her index finger to her chin, Rin pretended to consider the offer before easily laughing. "Of course! You don't think I'd go to all the trouble of making sure Kuran didn't jump the gun and kill me on sight just to vanish into the night without so much as a forwarding address, do you?" The hand still holding Zero's gun was waving about in the air as she continued talking, making the other vampires more than a little nervous. "Besides," she explained, "I've officially adopted Zero as a brother, so as soon as you call and tell me he's stopped threatening my life, I'll be happy to drop in."

Kurosu laughed along with her. "Don't be a stranger! Call us when you find a new place to settle."

"Actually, more likely than not, I'll be staying at Point Bleak after I dispose of this." Recalling the heavy lump of metal in her hand, Rin eyed the Bloody Rose distastefully. As effective and useful as it was, an anti-vampire weapon this powerful with a mind of its own was not worth keeping around. Finding the right place to melt it down into a harmless rock would be a pain, but a necessary evil.

Having escaped Onii-san's iron grip once he deemed Yoru-san safe- at least for now- Yuuki squeezed through the crowd of vampires and joined the mini-powwow on the ground. "Point Bleak?"

An image of a dark castle in the pages of an ancient book leaped out in Aidou's mind. "It's an old castle by the sea," he interjected, his eyes closed and his face set in that smug expression it wore whenever he knew what he was talking about, or thought he did. "Been in vampire hands since its construction centuries ago. Couldn't think of anyplace more clichéd, Yoru-san?"

His question was met with silence. Aidou opened his eyes and looked at Yoru-san, or rather, the space where Yoru-san had been standing. She was gone, and no one seemed to be able to pinpoint exactly when she slipped away, despite the fact that she was standing mere feet in front of all of them until just a second ago.

"She disappeared just like Batman!" Ichijou observed.  


* * *

It was dark. That in itself was surprising. How many times in the past five years had Zero been brutally awakened by the harshest sunlight an open window could offer. It was also soft and smelled of fresh laundry. The last time Zero checked, he was always price-bound by the cheap hotels full of cardboard mattresses and mold.

Zero wasn't in Kansas anymore.

Naturally, his first reaction upon opening his eyes was to reach for his gun. But it wasn't there. Zero resisted the urge to leap up in a panic, wildly searching for the foes that were sure to be lurking about. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he registered that his limbs felt like lead. He stared up at the shadows dancing on the ceiling and managed to realize that there must be a small light over to his left. With a small groan, he turned his head, and there sat Yuuki, smiling as she always did.

"I hope you slept well, Zero. Welcome home."

He shuffled into a sitting position and sank back into the pillows, resting against the headboard, forcing his tensed muscles to relax. There was no danger, not yet at least. "What happened?"

Yuuki sighed and slouched in her chair. "Yoru-san and the headmaster caught you in some magic circle." Her voice was dipped in disapproval, but the glint in her eyes betrayed how happy she was at their deceit.

"Ah," Zero breathed out. So his innocent, manipulative, murdering, little, older, adopted sister was behind his failure to complete his last mission. The wallet and gun thefts should have been a dead giveaway- if only he noticed the missing gun before it was too late. It figured. "I'm going to kill her."

Giggling a little, Yuuki stood and walked over to a small table in the corner. "You haven't changed at all," she said, pouring a glass of water. She returned to her bedside seat and handed over the cup. Her face lost all traces of amusement. "Apparently, Yoru-san helped you eliminate the purebloods because she thought they would cause trouble for the other vampires, force them to choose sides or something now that the Senate is gone."

Zero listened quietly, his mouth twisted in a pensive frown. He never found any reason to delve into Rin's deeper motivation for helping him. It never mattered. One day, she was simply there, walking beside him. The one time he asked why she killed with him, she answered, "Because I can." That had been enough for him. Thinking back on it now, Yuuki's explanation made sense. Rin was practically a pureblood. She once lived at the heart of vampire society and politics, and she knew their flaws. That still left one very big question unanswered.

Seeing the unspoken thought in Zero's eyes, Yuuki interrupted his inner musings. "The headmaster said he met her before we were even born. She contacted him and set this trap for you."

Zero still refused to comment aloud. Rin was so going to suffer for this.

She had been afraid to mention it. The subject was more than a little touchy, but it couldn't be avoided forever. Yuuki took a deep breath, then took the plunge. "Zero, I know you planned to kill me and Onii-sama, and then kill yourself."

The stubborn boy had been content to leave the matter untouched and was not immensely pleased to hear it being brought up so soon. He turned his head away and completely ignored Yuuki.

Her eyes widened before narrowing into an angry glare. Losing control and fuming, she punched him in the arm, shouting, "Don't you dare ignore me, Zero!"

He flinched and grunted. Apparently, Yuuki didn't know her own strength, not that this was new information, although it hurt a lot more now coming from a pureblood. Zero twisted his head back to the left and looked her in the eyes.

"So?" Yuuki prodded.

Zero rubbed his sore arm. "Why aren't you with _him_?" he hissed.

"Who? Onii-sama?" Yuuki blushed and glanced away. "We don't talk much," she admitted. It was odd. Before she knew he was her brother, she and Kaname had a relationship not unlike that of siblings, but since finding out the truth- since Zero left- they had drifted into a mere shadow of their former closeness. So much for the truth setting you free: the only freedom Yuuki found was freedom from her previous illusions of romantic attachment to her brother.

"Right," Zero drawled, obviously not believing a word she said. Five years of absence did not erase five years of seeing Yuuki fawn over the pureblood prince.

She could find no words of reassurance that wouldn't sound either fake and practiced or disloyal. Despite his occasionally suicidal tendencies, he didn't feel the urge to masochistically poke that old wound any more at the moment.

Yuuki found her voice first. "Well, I guess I'll let you get some more sleep. The headmaster said those magic circles can be pretty draining."

"Yeah," Zero agreed, not really in the mood to talk while he still felt so tired.

"We'll talk later."

"Sure."

Yuuki rose from her chair and made to head for the door, but Zero reached out, grabbed her arm, pulled her forward, and placed a light kiss on her lips. "Thank you, Yuuki."

Yuuki smiled and walked to the door. She turned back with a giant grin on her face. "And don't bother trying to run away again, Zero. The headmaster put another magic barrier on this room just for you."

_Drat._ Zero thought. _Now I'll have to face Kuran and _not_ kill him. You'll pay for this, Rin. _Whether his revenge involved stolen chocolate bars, whipped cream-covered rooms, or blood-filled nights was up for grabs, but Zero would have his revenge. He was a hunter, and he would not stop until he caught his prey, even if that prey was another hunter.

Since neither of them had died on this mission, never mind that the targets survived as well, their hunting careers would continue. Although, with the way Zero's homecoming was going, he might have to amend his life's goal to exclude killing Yuuki. As long as it upset someone, Rin wouldn't mind.

Still, the biggest question on everyone's minds after that fateful night was: Why did Kurosu Kaien use the chalk to draw a little heart on the ground next to the magic circle with "Kai & Rin" written inside?  


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Author's Note:

After a fairly short haul, we've reached the end of "The Hunter Chronicles." I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who's read this story and given me wonderful feedback and support, and advance thank yous to everyone who reads this in the future!

I have no idea what project will come next, but I will try to keep my profile up to date as I complete various stages of writing whatever. Thanks again to everyone, and I'll see you later!

Random little scene from my life:

My sister has one of her weekly TV shows on, and we catch a guy in the midst of a not-so-savvy scene. She says, "But he's so cute" in that high-pitched little girl voice.

I say, "That immoral piece of trash needs to be taken out."

She responds, "Bring back his dead body!"

Yay for randomness! Okay, now I'll go. n.n


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